#rainbow python

For context, this is the first time I have ever gone to a show to watch a couple local bands play in a guys garage. An old friend of mine had asked to come to the show to watch his group play. I went to the said garage and house and saw a lot of people (like 6 people, I'm kind of weenie). Now my social anxiety kicks in, I'm by myself in this place I don't know. These people obviously know each other and are possibly wondering who is this weird high schooler (I have a stupid case of baby face, I'm like 22) and why is she standing around like a weirdo? Then I see my friend and I'm good. I talk to him for a while and feel a little better and follow him around a meet a few people.

After a while I just stop following him around, I don't want to bother him and sit down on a couch in the garage, about another 15 minutes until the show starts. Then two more new people come in. And here I am in my head all, 'Fuck now there's eight of them, what if there's a fight? What if something bad happens that pits us all against eachother, I'll be the first to go.' General anxiety stuff about stuff that won't happen... probably.

Then this girl asks if she can take the seat next to me and I squeak out an unconfident "Sure?" I'm pretty sure my voice cracks. Now I'm embarrassed, this girl could probably smell my fear.

She looks to me and says, "I love your earrings. Do you like -s?" I couldn't hear the last part and I was wearing dinosaur earrings and so I went with, "Yeah, I like dinosaurs." And she repeated herself, "No, do you like reptiles?" And I sat there like, "Yeah, I do like reptiles." She smiles and reaches for her purse and then she leans in closer and says, "Wanna see my snake?" And reaches inside her purse.

But she doesn't pull out her phone.

She instead pulls out a 1 and a half foot rainbow ¿boa/python? out of her bag. This boy slithers out of her hand a bit and smells me.

"His name is Anubis, but I call him Nubs for short."

I didn't know what to do. I just petted the snake and waited for the show to start.

Long story short, I stayed for only 2 out of 5-6 shows since I was anxious but I'm glad I went out of my comfort zone. I got to make a new friend.